Sam Rowlands, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, has welcomed a huge cash boost to transform St Collen’s in Llangollen.
The church will receive £719,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to be transformed into a warm, flexible and welcoming space for the whole community, while protecting its unique medieval heritage.
He said: “I am delighted that over £700,000 is being awarded for this ambitious project which will create a real hub for the community.
“It is particularly good to see that the plans are being driven by local people who are all working together to transform the church.
“These days more than ever, it is vital our local churches are supported and the work which will be undertaken will mean it can be used by local organisations and for other events.
“It is also great that National Lottery Funding continues to help projects in North Wales.”
St Collen’s Church, which dates from the seventh century, received a higher figure than originally applied for in recognition of unexpected challenges uncovered during the bid development phase and to demonstrate the confidence that the Heritage Fund has in the project.
The project manager for the reordering of the church, Sue Evans, said they had uncovered some unexpected challenges during the development but was thrilled their submission has been successful.
She said: “This exceptional outcome not only propels us towards meeting our match-funding target but also demonstrates the confidence that the Heritage Fund has in our vision, our planning, and the lasting impact of the project.
“The next step is to await the outcome of our Faculty (planning) application, which will allow us to move forward with delivery.”
A planning team, made up of members of the church congregation and people drawn from across the community, meet regularly to advise on the plans and take decisions. As well as transforming the church, plans are in place to repair the medieval hammer-and-beam ceiling, thought to date from the 15th century.
Sue added: “Cadw has agreed that we can submit a funding application for 50% of the costs of the repair! This is huge news as it will help with the amazing fundraising efforts the community has been undertaking.
“A huge thanks go to our fundraisers; St Collen’s Players, lots of private donations and bequests from individuals and families and our beautiful Evening of Song, supported by the Penley Madras Community Choir, which raised funds and awareness in equal measure.”
St Collen’s Church and its medieval ceiling is considered a masterpiece, and urgent conservation work is necessary to protect its unique carvings, repair extensive damage, and ensure it remains part of the life of St Collen’s and the town for centuries.
The church is part of the Valle Crucis Mission Area, a group of churches along the Dee and Ceiriog Valley’s stretching to Bala and Cerrigydrudion. Valle Crucis Mission Area is one of the 20 Mission Areas in the Diocese of St Asaph, one of the six dioceses in the Church in Wales.
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